inhospitable
Americanadjective
-
not inclined to, or characterized by, hospitality, as persons or actions; unfriendly.
-
(of a region, climate, etc.) not offering shelter, favorable conditions, etc.; barren.
an inhospitable rocky coast.
adjective
-
not hospitable; unfriendly
-
(of a region, an environment, etc) lacking a favourable climate, terrain, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inhospitable
1560–70; < Middle French < Medieval Latin inhospitābilis. See in- 3, hospitable
Explanation
Inhospitable places aren't easy or comfortable to live in, and inhospitable people can be downright unfriendly — even hostile. A hotel is particularly inhospitable if it's got uncomfortable beds and grouchy desk clerks. Northern Minnesota is inhospitable in January, and many parts of India are inhospitable in the summertime — they are harsh, difficult places for most people. You're inhospitable to a visitor in your home if you don't offer a drink or ask if they want to sit, or in other ways try to make them comfortable. To be hospitable is to be friendly or pleasant, and when you add the "not" prefix in-, you get inhospitable.
Vocabulary lists containing inhospitable
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This Week in Words: May 18–24, 2019
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It says a large portion of the ape's habitat will become inhospitable to them if climate change continues at its current pace.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Despite how inhospitable they are for life, we're also interested in studying these kinds of planets because we think early Earth might have looked a lot like a lava world.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
Prosecutors allege De Anda housed hundreds of rescue animals in inhospitable conditions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
"But as you can see behind me, this is one of the most inhospitable places in the United States," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
But the place, he realized, was hopelessly inhospitable.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
